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Michael Edwards has been promoted into one of the most powerful roles at Liverpool Football Club - the newly-created position of sporting director.

It’s a structure which club owners Fenway Sports Group have been keen on for several years - Louis Van Gaal’s name was in the frame in 2012 - but one which was abandoned when Brendan Rodgers agreed to become manager in the same year.

Now it’s back with Jurgen Klopp a firm supporter of a structure he worked successfully in at Borussia Dortmund with Michael Zorc.

The future identification and recruitment of players will be perhaps the most publicly identifiable aspect of Michael Edwards’s new job - and probably one which will define his success.

Yet despite the position being filled through an internal promotion - and Edwards being a member of a Liverpool transfer committee which has never been far from the headlines for the last few years - for many Liverpool fans the 37-year-old remains a little known figure.

Where did he start out?

Edwards was born in Southampton but started his football career at Peterborough United where he came through the youth system and was an apprentice professional when they were in the Championship, playing as a full-back. He was released after getting no further than the reserves and went into education, getting a degree in business management and informatics at the University of Sheffield. He continued to play semi-professionally.

When did he start his off-the-field career in football?

Portsmouth in 2003 was his big break. He was taken on as an analyst there working with manager Harry Redknapp when the Premier League started to employ the analytics company Prozone. Each club had a Prozone analyst and Edwards fulfilled that role at Fratton Park.

Since he had a football background Edwards was able to build up a better rapport with players than most people in such roles. The department expanded and he became Head of Analysis for the side then owned by Milan Mandaric, He led pre and post-match analysis, just as he has done at Liverpool.

When did he leave?

He left Fratton Park in 2009 after six years in his role. He went to Tottenham where he was asked to fulfil a similar role and build a newly expanded analysis department at White Hart Lane, where Harry Redknapp was again manager. He worked primarily on opposition analysis as well as analysing the performance of the Spurs team.

Where next?

Damien Comolli with Liverpool FC owner John Henry.

He packed London in after two years and moved to Liverpool in 2011, with then Director of Football Damian Comolli - who had also been at Spurs - instrumental in bringing him to Liverpool.

What was his initial role at Anfield?

He arrived as Head of Performance and Analysis. The first thing he did with Liverpool was to look at how football was analysed at the club and instigated a restructuring both at Melwood and the Academy.

Brendan Rodgers looks on during his last game as Liverpool manager at Goodison Park against Everton on October 4, 2015 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

He managed the analysis side for successive managers from Kenny Dalglish through Brendan Rodgers and now Jurgen Klopp. His relationship with Rodgers was known to be somewhat strained with the Ulsterman making his view on sporting and technical directors plain after he was appointed.

Rodgers said: “For me coming in, I was always going to work with a team of people, rather than a director of football. I always think the manager is the technical director. He is the man who oversees the football development of the club, and I believe you should take on that responsibility when you are manager.”

Edwards' relationship with Jurgen Klopp however is said to be “terrific” and his appointment to the new role is seen as an “obvious” one internally. His data-driven ethos ties in perfectly with FSG'S "Moneyball" philosophy of using statistics to find value in the transfer market.

What has been his latest role at Anfield - what does he do day to day?

In June 2013 he was promoted to the role of director of technical performance and was then made technical director in August 2015, basically running football operations which had three main strands.

First he instigated a fundamental change into the way Liverpool scout, both at first team and Academy levels, and oversees that. Second he continued to manage the analysis side for the club.

Liverpool FC Academy at Kirkby

The final string to his bow was setting up a research department at LFC, something which has since become more commonplace at Premier League clubs.

We know him as a member of the Transfer Committee - how did that come about?

For the past 12 to 18 months he has been working alongside chief executive Ian Ayre in contract negotiations. With Ayre moving on at the end of the season he will step up to be the lead in those same contract talks.

Securing players will often be down to him although specific targets may be approached in different ways. For instance Jurgen Klopp might take the lead in attracting a top German player.

Why don’t I know his face?

That’s the way he likes it. As of yesterday his picture wasn’t even on the Liverpool FC website. He’s very much someone who likes to get on with things in the background rather than be any sort of public face although that is likely to have to change somewhat given his new role.

What will be his priorities?

Primarily his job will be to support Jurgen Klopp, with player identification and recruitment while continuing the flow of information to the coaching team. He will head the team looking at the strategic direction of the club in footballing terms and is certain to be heavily involved in the project looking at joining the first team and Academy training centres together.

Does he replace Ian Ayre as CEO?

Firmino with his Liverpool shirt and Ian Ayre

No, a CEO will be appointed at a later date by FSG. He or she will concentrate on all matters linked to the business of the football club, such as negotiating key sponsorship deals, but their direct input into more footballing matters and how they will dovetail with the sporting director will depend on the appointee.

What is clear is that the new CEO will not be the lead on transfers, a role which from today will rest with Michael Edwards.